kruger



April 21952 H, KRUGER Re. 23,485

COMBINATION LIGHT DISTRIBUTOR AND WIRING CONDUIT FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Original Filed March 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l HENRY RUGER ATTORNEY April 29, 1952 M. H. KRUGER 23,435

COMBINATION LIGHT DISTRIBUTOR AND WIRING CONDUIT FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Original Filed March 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 d "5" i m mu 3 a I T 1' 1 Q HRUQ; a i /'\N il' lllllllh.

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MICHFIEL HENRY KRUGER ML W m Q3 ATTORNEY Aprll 29, 1952 KRUGER Re. 23,485

COMBINATION LIGHT DISTRIBUTOR AND WIRING CONDUIT FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS, Original Filed March 29, 1951 5 SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR MICHHEL HENRY KRUGER BY "Q,

ATTO R N EY Apn] 29, 1952 M. H. KRUGER Re. 23,485

COMBINATION LIGHT DISTRIBUTOR AND WIRING CONDUIT FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Original Filed March 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR MICHHEL HEN RY KRUGER A ATTORN April 29, 1952 KRUGER Re. 23,485

COMBINATION LIGHT DISTRIBUTOR AND WIRING CONDUIT FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Original Filed March 29, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lNVENTOR MILHHEL HENRY KRUG 4L? ATTORNEY Reissued Apr. 29, 1952 COMBINATION LIGHT DISTRIBUTOR ANDv WIRING CONDUIT FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMBS Michael Henry Kruger, Malden,v Mass assignor; to ALL. S'mitli. Iron Company, Che'lsea,,Mass.,. a corporation of. Massachusetts Original No..2, 559,,6 41', dated July10, 1951, Serial No. 218,174, March 29, 1951.

Application for reissue February'12, 1952, Serial No. 271,256;

, 9 Claims;

Matter enclosed in heavy-brackets If] appears in the. original patent buttforms; no" part of? this reissuespecification; matter printed in italics indicatesthe additions made by reissue.

1. This invention relates to lighting fixtures" in general, and more especially to combination light distributors and wiringconduits for fluorescent 'lamp units, and constitutes a continuation in partof err-pending application. for patent, Ser; No. 32,333; nowabandone'd, filed June-11, 1948'.

Among' the objects of the present invention it' is aimed toprovide an improved lighting fixture characteriZed-bya combination light distributor and wiring conduit fora fluorescent lamp unit which" will house the wiring and will enable a uniform distribution of'light'rays on the ceilingor' the like downwardly facing upper surface" and yet shield the upper face of the lamp or interpose ashi'el'd; above' the upper face; of the lamp to intercept falling. dust' particles and. the like withoutinterfering'with the, uniform distribution of the light rays to: anupper light. deflecting surtime such as" the" ceilingiof" aroom.

It is still another' object" ofthe present invention to provide; an improved light fixture characterized by'a combination light distributor and wiring conduit for a fluorescent lamp unit which will house the wiring and; control the path of theJl'ght rays to a lower: area so" thatthe glare from, the direct light rays" will be prevented and in. addition therev will be efi'ected. a uniformdistribution ofthe light rays'to'anyupper deflecting; surface, such asa: ceiling,,without exposing. theupper surfaces of the. lamp units to falling Fig: fi is'a side elevation partly'broken awayon the scale of Fig. 4.

Fig; 621s a' section still further enlarged on the lined-6 of'Fig; 5*.

Fig; '7 is'a; section on the scale ofFig; 6 on the Fig; 8% is a transverse" section reduced as compared" to the scale of Fig: 6 of another embodi ment Fig. 9" is a fragmental section on the line 9-9 of: Fig; 8.

Fig; 10: is. a; f'ragmentall enlarged front elevationon the line; lll'.-- l0 ofFi'g; 9.

Fig.. 11 is a fragmental. transversesection of still another embodiment.

Fig-.1 12 is a section similar-to Fig; 6' of a third embodiment: in which the wire trough extends along the middleof the-fixture between the elongated. tubular lamps;

Fig; 13. is a section similar to Fig. Sofa fourth embodiment in which the wire trough is formed in the. main downwardly" flaring walls of the fixture.

In the embodiment particularly shown in Figs. L to 7,, inclusive, there is" illustrateda combination lighting fixture and wiring" conduit having two deflecting wall members I and 2- inclining downward intheir outward direction and con wardlyturned-fi'anges 9 and I0, respectively; at

their innerend'sto engage the-inner faces of the V--shaped" end portions 5 and" 6 of' the walls l and 2.

The-end wall's '3- and: 4 maybe secured to the laterallyextending outer end portions of the walls land i-by anysuitablemeans, in the present-instance the walls 3 and 4 having inwardly extending" flanges I-lengaging the upper faces of the endporti'ons-of the-walls l and 2 to enable fastening means, sue-has the screws l2 and extruded portions" l 3', to-secure theflanges l l to the end" portions of the walls 3 and 4-.

Preferably as shown, the upper parallel end portions Mand I5 of'the side walls I and 2, re-

spectively, are bent to formupwardlyprojecting" sheet l9 having laterally extending flanges 2|] secured to the upper wall of the wire trough forming end portions l4 and |5, and the end walls 2| extending down between the inner edges of the end portionsM and I5. The lower end of the ballast'casing H1 is provided with a closure plate 22 having the base 23 and the two upwardly and outwardly inclined walls 24 with flanges 25 at the free ends thereof which are secured to the lower faces of the ends of the strips 26 which form the closures for the lower ends of the troughs between the casing l8 and the end walls 3 and 4, it being noted that the strips 26 do not extent the length of the casing l8, see Fig. 4, but enable at least part of the light rays from the lamps hereinafter to be described to pass up directly through the'openings H to the ceiling above.

Preferably as shown, the decorative end pieces 21 and 28 have horizontally extending flanges 29 and downwardly extending aprons 3|] with fastening means, such as the screws 3|, extending down through the outer ends of the flanges 29, upper walls of the trough extensions. and I and strips 25, the nuts 32 being connected to the lower ends of the screws 3 I, see Fig. 5, and in turn the threaded studs 33ha-ving their heads welded to the flanges 2|! of the housing I8 extend down through the flanges 20, upper walls of the extensions l4 and I5, the inner ends of the strips 26 and the flanges 25, the nuts 34 being connected to the lower ends of the studs 33.

In the inner faces of the end walls 3 and 4 directlytbelow the trough forming extensions I4 and I5, there are disposed the connections 35 and 33 for the ends of the fluorescent lamps 31 and as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 7.

The vertically extending walls 33 0f the casing sheet l9 are provided with openings 4|], and the upper wall 4| of the casing sheet I3 is provided with fastening means, such as the screws 42, to secure the ballast housing I59 inside of the casing I8.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the upper wall 4| is also provided with openings to receive bushings 43 which may be secured to the ends of the curved stems 44.

The upper ends of the stems 44, in the present instance, are indented at 45 adjacent their upper circular heads 46 so that after the heads 4G have been passed through the enlarged recess portions 41, the neck or indented portions 45 may slide up into the diminished recess portions 48 of the strap 49 secured in the dome-shaped disk or canopy 50. The strap 49 is connected by any suitable means, such as the bushing 5| and nut '52, 'to the lower end of the conduit or the like fixed in the ceiling, and the disk orcanopy 50 in turn is connected to the lower end of the bushing 5| by any suitable means, such for instance as the screw 53, extending up through the disk or canopy 50 into the cap 54, screw threadedly connected to the lower end of the bushing 5|.

Any suitable light disbursing, distributing or control means may be secured to the lower edges of either the side walls I and 2 and/or the lower edges of the end Walls 3 and 4. For this embodiment there is illustrated an egg crate louver frame which is illustrated as equipped with pins 56 extending through ends of the frame 55, see Fig. 5, and into tabs 51 extending inwardly from the end walls 3 and 4, the ends of which pins 56 have screw threadedly connected thereto the extruded portions 58. i

From the foregoing it will thus be seen that the wiring not shown from the ballast I59 may pass lamps 31, that, in turn, the direct rays from the lamps 31 maypass up through the space between the casing l8 and the end walls '3 and 4 at an angle to the vertical, and directly up from the lamps 31 vertically, through the openings l1 adjacent the casing 8 to the ceiling, and that the comparatively large amount of light rays so directed at an angle to the ceiling through the openings between the casing I 8 and the end walls 3 and 4 will blend with the small amount of light rays directed up vertically through the openings 11 to avoid any objectionable high light spots or Shadows above the lighting fixture, that in turn the light rays directed down from the lamps 31 will be interrupted or deflected by the louvers of the frame 55, so that the glare from direct light rays will be prevented and only indirect light rays pass into the line of vision of occupants of the room with which the lighting fixture is equipped.

Still, furthermore, it will be seen that the lamps 31 will be protected from falling dust particles. While a heavily dust laden atmosphere will, of course, distribute some dust particles laterally in a horizontal direction, as well as vertically, it is of course obvious, since the upper faces of lamps always have a much thicker coat of dust than any lateral face, and the lowerfaces generally have the thinnest coat of dust, that dust particles, when they finally come to rest, mainly drop vertically by gravity, and consequently, if as here provided the upper faces of the lamps 31 have immediately above the same an interposer, such as thetroughs formed by the walls I4, l5 and flanges 26, the dust that will collect on the lamps 31 may only gain access to the upper surfaces of the lamps from the side, and therefore the most vulnerable faces, to dust, of the lamps 31 will be effectively protected.

In place of the egg crate louver frame 55, excellent results have also been achieved when, as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, a translucent glass frame or frames was used.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, there are provided two translucent glass frames 59and 60. These frames preferably have secured to their ends the metal straps 6| from which extend the J-shaped projections 62, which in turn are received in the inclined recesses63 formed in the plate 64 secured to the inner face of the end wall 65. At the outer ends of the inclined walls 63 adjacent the strips 61 there are secured 'the brackets 6|! having the yieldable shoulders 69 at the lower ends thereof to receive the outer edges of the glass frames 59 and -63 when the glass frames '53 and Eli are in closed position. If it is desired to gain access to the lamps 1|] or the inside of the lighting fixture, it is only necessary to free one or both frames 59 and 60 from the yieldable shoulders 69 and allow one or both of them to pivot down about the pivotal point formed between the projections 52 and the plate 64.

Asin the embodiment of Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive, as distinguished from the present embodiment, if the space between the wire conduits is free, the dust which may drop through this space will of course in turn drop through the louver frame 55, whereas in the present instance it will drop and rest on the inner face of the translucent frames 59 and 50. When so pivotally mo nted,

In place of the hanger shown, particularlyv in.

Figs. 2. and 3, when the lighting fixture is intendedto be located adjacent the ceiling, the embodiment' illustrated in Fig. 11 may be used to a-dvantage. In such instance, to theconduit 15 fixed to the ceiling there is secured the strap- 16 bymeans of the bushing l1 and nut 18. This strap has two upward extensions 19 and 80 to engage the ceiling with a hook or projection 8i disposed below the extension 80* and a screw 82 disposed below theextension 19. The projection 8 I- is-inv such case inserted intothe opening 83 inthe; ballast casing 84, see for instancethe opening 4B in the ballast casing l6 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 7, and the screw 82- will engage in the opening or slot 85 formed in the ballast casing'34. In the act of assembling it will only be necessary to raise or elevate the lighting fixture until the opening 83 of the ballast casing 84 receives the projection 31 while the housing 84 is inclined relative to the ceiling and then swing the same upward about. the projection 8! as a fulcrum until the opening 85 registers with. the screw 82, and then turn the screw 82 to project into the opening 85. The canopy 86 will be produced in two parts to be subsequentlysecured in place on the flanges 81, after the screw 82 has been turned into locking engagement with the ballast housing 84.

Excellent results have been achieved when the lighting fixture illustrated in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to '7, inc1usive, is about fifty-one inches from end wall 3 to end wall 4 and the ballast housing is disposed about centrally of the same and does not exceed fifteen inches in length, and that the dimensions of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8 are similar.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 12 differs from the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 primarily in that the trough for the wires to the ballast housing 88 is provided by the chamber forming longitudinally extending housing 89 which extends from one end wall, such as the end wall 3 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, to the downwardly extending end plate 90 of tiie supporting bracket 9|, whereas in the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the trough for the wires to the ballast housing I59 is provided between the plates 26 and the end portions l4 and 15.

In the embodiment of Fig. 12, furthermore, the intermediate strap e2 for the ballast housing 88 has its flanges 93 and 94 connected to the lower faces of the end portions 95 and 96, respectively. The light rays from the lamps 91 and 98 in this case will clear the upper faces of the elongated housing 89 as shown.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 13, on the other hand, differs primarily from the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 in that the downwardly deflecting longitudinal wall members 99 and IE0 have extensions NH and I02, respectively, extending back over but spaced from the upper faces ofthe wall members 99 and H10, respectively, to form the chambers H13 and H14, respectively, for

the wires, to the ballast: housing 1.05; The intermediate strap Hi5. below; the ballasthousing. I95 hasits flanges 1.01. and Hlliconnected tothe lower faces of the inwardly extending portions 18,9 and I Ill, respectively, of the. wall members 39 and Hill, respectively. When desired as shown,, the intermediate strap IOB may have secured thereto the bracket Ill having thev supporting shoulders H2 and H3 on. which the inner, edges, of the glass frames. 1 IA and H5.may rest. as. shown. In this case. similarly the direct light. rays from the lamps 1 i5. and. HT will extend at an. angle to the ceiling.

As has been described. above, the light distrib' uting means can. be; variable as indicated in the embodiments outlining the egg-crate louver and the glass. panels. Similarly, where, no shielding of the lamps is required}, the light distributing means may be. omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It is obvious that various changes, and modifications may be made: to the details of. construction without departing; from the general spirit of" the invention as set forth in the appended claims;

1'. In a lighting-fixture, the combination with a main frame having two elongated spaced apart opaque side plates inclining downwardly in an outward lateral direction, opaque. end plates for connecting; thesi'depl'ates, to one another, lamp sockets: for fluorescent. lamps in said end plates,

a ballast housing connected at the inner ends of said side plates and spaced" from said end plates, wire troughs formed at, and under, the inner ends of said side platesand extending from said ballast housing to said sockets, and lamps connected to said sockets'belowsaid side plates to enable-light rays therefrom to'be directed upward at an angle through the space between said side plates.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the side plates adjacent the ballast housing only are provided with narrow longitudinally extending openings toenable narrow bands of the light rays from narrow portions only of the lamps therebeneath to pass directly up therethrough and light rays from other portions of the lamps to be directed upward at an angle to dissolve into the light area formed by said direct light rays and to dissolve into the light area formed by the light rays passing up through the space between the side plates beyond the ends of the ballast housing.

3. In a lighting fixture, the combination with a main frame having two elongated spaced apart opaque side plates inclining downwardly in an outward lateral direction, opaque end plates for connecting the side plates to one another, lamp sockets for fluorescent lamps in said end plates. a ballast housing connected at the inner ends of said side plates and spaced from said end plates, wire troughs formed at, and under, the inner ends of said side plates and extending from said ballast housing to said sockets, lamps connected to said sockets below said side plates to enable light rays therefrom to be directed upward at an angle through the space between saidlside plates, and horizontally extending translucent glass frames secured at the lower ends of the side plates and end plates to form a closure with the main frame and to direct the light rays out of the line of vision of occupants of the room in which the lighting fixture is located.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the glass frames are pivotally connected to the end plates foldable toward one another toward the longitudinal middle of the main frame, and means are provided at the lower ends of the side frames to engage the outeredges of the glass frames to support them in light distributing position. Y

5. The combination as set forth in claim 3 in which the glass frames are pivotally connected to the end plates and foldable toward one another, and supporting means at the lower ends of the side plates consisting of yieldable clips for anchoring the outer ends of the glass frames to the lower ends of the side frames.

6. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a main frame having two elongated spaced apart opaque side plates inclining downwardly in, an outward lateral direction, opaque (and plates connecting the side plates to one another, lamp sockets for fluorescent lamps at said end plates, a ballast housing connected at the inner-ends of said side plates and spaced from said end plates so as to cover only a minor part otthe space between the side plates, and at least one lamp disposed below and adjacent to each side plate within the vertically p ojected area thereof, to enable light rays therefrom to bejdirected upwardly at an angle through the space between the side plates.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 in which a longitudinally extending housing extends between said side plates and is connected to said end plates and to said ballast housing and is adapted to accommodate the wires from said ballast housing to said lamp sockets.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 6 in which a longitudinally extending housing extends between said side plates and is connected ballast housing disposed between the inner ends of said side plates and spaced from said end plates so as to interrupt only a minor part of the space between the side plates, at least one lamp disposed below and adjacent to each side plate within the vertically projected area thereof to enable light rays therefrom to be directed upwardly at an angle through the space between the side plates, and a longitudinally extending housing disposed between said side plates and between said lamps clear of the vertically projected area above the lamps, said longitudinally extending housing being connected to said end plates and to said ballast housing and adapted to accommodate wires extending from said ballast housing to said lamp sockets.

MICHAEL HENRY KRUGER.

Country Date Great Britain Apr. 20, 1944 Number 

